(KMOV.com) -- A thief targeted the Nordstrom's store at the Galleria mall, stealing two purses before escaping in a vehicle. In a separate incident, three men struggled with employees after trying to grab $8,000 worth of sunglasses.

Employees of stores in and around the Galleria say they are seeing more aggressive theft. Larann Phipps, manager of EJ's Shoes, said one way to combat the problem is to keep a close eye on customers.

"They watch for when you lose eye contact for one second -- that's how bold they are -- and they will grab and run," said Phipps. "They will just grab an item and run. You can say 'Can I put this at the counter for you?' and they can run out the door."